Annuities for former spouses of employees or Members retired before May 7, 1985.
5 C.F.R. § 831.683
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01(a)(1) The former spouse of a retiree who retired before May 7, 1985 (or of an employee or Member who died before May 7, 1985, was employed in a position covered by CSRS at the time of death, and was eligible to retire at the time of death), is entitled, after the death of the retiree, employee, or Member, to a survivor annuity equal to 55 percent of the self-only annuity of the retiree on whose service the survivor annuity is based if the former spouse, at the time of application, meets all of the following requirements:
(i) The former spouse's marriage to the retiree, employee, or Member was dissolved after September 14, 1978, and before May 8, 1987. The date of dissolution of a marriage is the date when the marriage between the former spouse and the retiree, employee, or Member ended under the law of the jurisdiction that terminated the marriage, rather than the date when restrictions on remarriage ended. The date of entry of the decree terminating the marriage will be rebuttably presumed to be the date when the marriage was dissolved.
(ii) The former spouse was married to the retiree, employee, or Member for at least 10 years of the retiree's, employee's, or Member's creditable service. Creditability of service is determined in accordance with section 8332 of title 5, United States Code, and subpart C of this part.
(iii) The former spouse has not remarried before reaching age 55.
(iv) The former spouse applies to OPM for a survivor annuity, in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section and § 831.643(b), before May 8, 1989.
(v) The former spouse is at least 50 years old on May 7, 1987, and when filing the application.
(2) A former spouse who is not eligible for an annuity under paragraph (a)(1) of this section and who is the former spouse of a retiree who retired before May 7, 1985 (or of an employee or Member who died before May 7, 1985, was employed in a position covered by CSRS at the time of death, and was eligible to retire at the time of death), is entitled, after the death of the retiree, employee, or Member, to a survivor annuity equal to 55 percent of the self-only annuity of the retiree on whose service the survivor annuity is based if the former spouse, at the time of application, meets all of the following requirements:
(i) The former spouse was married to the retiree, employee, or Member for at least 10 years of the retiree's, employee's, or Member's creditable service. Creditability of service is determined in accordance with section 8332 of title 5, United States Code, and subpart C of this part.
(ii) The former spouse has not remarried after September 14, 1978, before reaching age 55.
(iii) The former spouse applies to OPM for a survivor annuity, in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section and § 831.643(b), before May 8, 1989.
(iv) The former spouse is at least 50 years old on May 7, 1987, and when filing the application.
(v) No current spouse, other former spouse, or insurable interest designee is receiving or has been designated to receive a survivor annuity based on the service of the employee, Member, or retiree.
(3) If two or more eligible former spouses of a retiree, employee, or Member apply for annuities under paragraph (a)(2) of this section based on the service of the same retiree, employee, or Member, and neither meets the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the former spouse whose application OPM receives first is entitled to the annuity.
(b)(1) Application must be filed on the form prescribed for that purpose by OPM. The application form will require the former spouse to certify under the penalty provided by section 1001 of title 18, United States Code, that he or she meets the requirements listed in paragraph (a) of this section.
(2) In addition to the application form required in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the former spouse must submit proof of his or her age and the date when the marriage to the retiree commenced, and a certified copy of the divorce decree terminating the marriage to the retiree.
(3)(i) Former spouses applying for benefits under this section must meet the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section at the time of application.
(ii) An annuity under this section terminates on the last day of the month before the former spouse remarries before age 55 or dies, except that a remarriage before September 15, 1978, does not cause termination of a former spouse annuity under this section. A former spouse who is receiving a former spouse annuity under this section must notify OPM within 30 days after he or she remarries before age 55.
(c) Survivor annuities payable under this section commence on the later of the day after the date of death of the retiree or the first day of the second month after the application is filed under § 831.643(b).
(d) Cost-of-living adjustments under section 8340 of title 5, United States Code, are applicable to annuities payable under this section.
(e) If a former spouse is eligible for a former spouse annuity under this section and another current spouse annuity or former spouse annuity (under the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees Retirement System) resulting from the death of the same retiree, the annuity under this section will be paid instead of the other current spouse annuity or former spouse annuity.
Source: eCFRURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-5.xmlFetched: 7/26/2026